Title

Author

Defense Date

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Mathematical Sciences

First Advisor

Paul Brooks

Second Advisor

David Edwards

Third Advisor

Jose Dula

Abstract

This paper presents a method that uses designed experiments and statistical models to extract information about how solver parameter settings perform for classes of mixed integer programs. The use of experimental design facilitates fitting a model that describes the response surface across all combinations of parameter settings, even those not explicitly tested, allowing identification of both desirable and poor settings. Identifying parameter settings that give the best expected performance for a specific class of instances and a specific solver can be used to more efficiently solve a large set of similar instances, or to ensure solvers are being compared at their best.